Stepladder



V- Dec. 3, 1940.

y J. L. GARNETTE STEPLADDER Filed March 6, 1939 EIE EIEIEI y E D m m mJHMES L. EHRNETTE. mn; M

.j ETTDRHBIS Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICEApplication March 6,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in stepladders and has particularreference to a means for adjusting the stepladder to meet variousconditions.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a ladder which issturdy in construction, one which may be readily locked in positionagainst slippage, a ladder which is economical to manufacture, and onewherein the legs may be adjusted to accommodate for uneven surfaces.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my ladder with the parts shown iny closedposition;

Fig. 2 is .a side elevation, showing the parts in normal open positionand standing on a fiat surface;

Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2, showing the ladder standing upon anuneven surface;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in cross section, of theupper end of the ladder;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detailed View, partly in cross section, showingthe spacing brace.

The ordinary stepladder consists merely of a pair of hinged memberswhich when separated from an angular structure, as the parts arepermanently hinged together it is diiiicult to erect the ladder withsafety on uneven ground. I have, therefore, devised a simple ladderwhich will overcome this difficulty.

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, and referring to Fig. 1,the numerals 5 and 6 designate two brace portions which may have rungs 1spaced at suitable intervals.

My invention consists essentially of providing a :fitting 8 which issecured to one of the ladder sections, for instance, the section 6;y andit is, of course, understood that there is one of these fittings foreach side of the section. This fitting has an angularly disposed portion9 anda projection Il which may enter into any one of the openings l2formed in a plate4 I3 secured to each side of the section 5.Consequently, when the section is moved from the position of Fig.` 1 tothat of Fig. 2 or Fig. 3, the two sections will be held in adjustedposition relative to slippage laterally with relation to each other.

In order to prevent the two sections from closing toward each other, Iprovide an adjusting brace I4 which is illustrated in Fig` 6 and con-1939, serial No. 260,215 T sists of a member I6 pivoted to the section6. 'I'he forward part of this brace is bifurcated and straddles one ofthe rungs in the section 5, and may be held thereto by a wing nut andbolt l1. The two sections of the brace may be adjusted through themedium of a wing nut I8.

Slidably positioned on the lower ends of the section 6 are telescopicmembers I9 which are held in adjusted position by spring-pressed clamps2| entering openings in the side sections, with the result that shouldthe groundbe uneven, one of the telescopic members may be adjusted tocompensate for this unevenness.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A ladder comprisinga pair of sections, the uprights of one sectionspaced at their upper ends to pass between the uprights of the othersection and engage the uppermost rung thereof, a broad loop secured tothe upper ends of' each side rail of the outer section and extendingoutwardly beyond the same at right angles thereto, the outer wall ofeach loop arranged obliquely inrespect to the uprights and having aprojection carried by the inner face at its lower end, and the uprightsof the inner section passing through the loops and provided with aseries of recesses in the outer edges of the side rail thereof, wherebythe uppermost rung of the outer section forms a fulcrum for the siderails of the inner section, and the projection carried by the loopadapted to enter any of the said recesses.

2. A ladder comprising-a pair of sections, the uprights of Yone sectionspaced at their upper ends to pass between the uprights of the othersection and engage the uppermost rung thereof, a broad loop secured tothe outer face of the upper end of each side rail of the outer sectionand extending outwardly beyond the same at right angles thereto andturned laterally and inwardly to engage the inner faces of the uprightsof the inner section, the outer wall of each loop arranged obliquely inrespect to the uprights, an integral inwardly extending projectioncarried by the lower end of the obliquely arranged wall of each loop andadapted to enter recesses in the side wall of the upper ends of the Icrum for the side rails ofthe inner section andV the projectionsentering the said recesses.

JAMES L. GARNE'I'I'E.

